Strong Finish Seals VictoryStrong Finish Seals Victory
Women's Soccer

Strong Finish Seals Victory

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Lead Image by Lyndsay Radnedge/ISIPhotos.com

TUCSON, Ariz. – A brace by Andi Sullivan and a strong second half team performance propelled No. 3 Stanford to a convincing 4-0 victory at Arizona on Thursday night.
 
It is the Cardinal's (15-1-1, 8-1-1 Pac-12) fifth consecutive win and 12th straight win against the Wildcats (7-9-1, 2-7 Pac-12) dating back to 2006.
 
The victory keeps Stanford tied for first place in conference play with No. 22 Colorado with two games remaining in the regular season.
 
Sullivan returned to the Cardinal this week after training with the senior U.S. Women's National Team and starting in a pair of matches against Switzerland last week. The Hermann Trophy candidate made her presence known, controlling the midfield and generating numerous offensive opportunities. She gave the Cardinal the lead in the first half with a blistering left-footed shot.
 
Sullivan converted a penalty kick in the second half for her career-best and team-high eighth goal of the season. She assisted Stanford's fourth goal – her sixth assist of the year.

Highlights from Thursday's 4-0 win.

Michelle Xiao and Ryan Walker-Hartshorn added a goal apiece in the second half. It was Xiao's fifth goal of the year – matching her total from a year ago as a freshman. Walker-Hartshorn scored her first of the season, becoming the 12th Stanford player this year with at least one goal.
 
Jane Campbell made four saves to earn the 34th shutout of her career, tying her for second-most in Stanford's all-time history with Elise Edwards (1987-90). She is one shutout shy of tying Nicole Barnhart (2000-04) for the most in program history.
 
Jordan DiBiasi had an excellent game in the midfield and was dangerous around the final third all night. She finished the game with two assists – the first multi-assist game of her career.
 
Kyra Carusa was active in the center forward position and picked up her team-leading ninth assist on the year on the Cardinal's second goal.
 
Stanford finished the match strong but had to battle through a challenging first half. Arizona pressured the Cardinal through the midfield and utilized long throw-ins to create opportunities in Stanford's defensive zone.
 
Stanford's defense, anchored by Maddie Bauer and Alana Cook, handled the pressure well and forced most of the Wildcats' opportunities from distance. Tegan McGrady produced another quality performance at outside back, keeping attackers out wide and making runs forward regularly to get involved in the attack.
 
The one mistake the defense made nearly led to a first-half deficit. A bouncing ball got past the back line and Arizona's Charlotte Brascia had a one-on-one on goal. Campbell came out to challenge the shot and Brascia fired just over the right side of the crossbar to keep the score at 0-0.
 
Stanford broke through in the 39th minute on a quality finish by Sullivan. DiBiasi controlled the ball near the left sideline and slipped a pass to Sullivan in the center of the field about 20 yards out. Sullivan took a quick touch with her right foot to control the pass then ripped a shot into the right corner of the goal.

Andi Sullivan recorded her second brace of the year.

The second half was all Stanford, outshooting Arizona 11-2 and reeling off three goals to secure the win.
 
Xiao doubled the Cardinal's lead in the 65th minute. After Xiao was fouled near midfield, McGrady ran up to the ball quickly and drilled a cross-field pass to the opposite side of the field to a wide-open Megan Turner who was running toward goal. Turner carried the ball into the box and sent a cross to the center of the box where it was deflected by Arizona defenders.
 
Carusa did not quit on the play and sent a cross from the endline back to the center of the box where Xiao was waiting to hit a one-time shot into the back of the goal.

A heads-up play by Tegan McGrady led to Stanford's second goal.

The Cardinal added a third goal when Xiao was fouled in the box at 70:54. Sullivan stepped to the spot and calmly converted her fourth penalty kick of the year.
 
The Cardinal capped its night with an impressive final goal. Starting in its own end, Stanford covered over half of the field with four consecutive passes before Walker-Hartshorn scored her first of the year.
 
Stanford will look to continue its momentum Sunday at 3 p.m. (PT) at Arizona State. The match will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.

Cardinal Notes

  • Stanford improves to 20-2 all-time against Arizona and has won the past 12 meetings.
  • The Cardinal has shut out three consecutive opponents and not permitted a goal since the 56:36 mark at Oregon State - a span of 303:24 minutes.
  • Andi Sullivan registered her second career brace. The first was earlier this season in 4-1 victory against No. 10 Minnesota on Sept. 9.
  • Sullivan leads the team with eight goals. She has career highs in goals (8), assists (6) and points (22).
  • Jane Campbell earned the 34th shutout of her career to tie for the second-most in program history. She is one shutout shy of the all-time record of 35 held by Nicole Barnhart (2000-04).
  • Kyra Carusa leads the team with a career-high nine assists.
  • Jordan DiBiasi recorded the first multi-assist game of her career.
  • Ryan Walker-Hartshorn became the 12th Stanford player to score at least one goal this year.